Scenario #9: Project Management: Steering the Committee
I. Introduction
Conflict among work groups is a common problem in organizations. This
scenario depicts an organizational conflict and highlights different conflict
management styles. A discussion of these styles and their effectiveness would be
valuable for students in Management or Organizational Behavior courses studying
organizational conflict.
II. Learning Objectives
1. To assess students’ understanding of the sources of conflict and the conflict
process.
2. To analyze and evaluate different conflict management styles.
3. To identify ways to ensure functional, rather than dysfunctional, conflict occurs.
III. Scenario Description:
Overview: Three months ago, Patrick was given goal of implementing a
computerized tracking system on the factory floor with the expectations that it
would raise quality control and workflow by a significant percentage. The team
spends an enormous amount of time revising/fixing chips after they fail quality
control testing – mostly due to lack of information. There would be a serious
review of the project after the first phase is complete – that is now.
Patrick is called to a meeting with three top executives. The tracking system
project is very costly and has not been proven, although the company was gungho, because their competitors were using all sorts of computerized systems in
their production facilities. Patrick has spent a little time writing a report, but is
feeling generally confident.
Profile:
 Patrick Bennett is the Managing Supervisor of Production at TechBox, a
desktop design software house, who oversees production and supervises a
floor of 50 employees.
 Morgan Baines is the Vice President of Distribution. He works at
corporate headquarters and builds relationships with potential clients in
expanding markets.
 Lucinda Bergen is the Director of Product Management. She oversees all
production at TechBox’s manufacturing factories. She works directly
with the factory managers and reports to corporate headquarters.
 Sam Adelson is the VP of Operations. His responsibilities include
overseeing department managers at the manufacturing factories and
corporate headquarters. He also acts as a liaison between his company
and the officers of a number of high-end computer companies.
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References: The references included in the DVD are:
 Sources of Conflict (PPT 9-3)
 The Conflict Process (PPT 9-4)
 Conflict Management Styles (PPT 9-7)
 Structural Approaches to Conflict Management (PPT 9-9)
Back History: TechBox produces a specialized computer chip for a large client
base of high-end computer companies such as Dell, IBM, and Compaq. Within
the TechBox compound are the manufacturing factories and the corporate
headquarters.
Patrick Bennett is the new hotshot manager overseeing the production of the main
component of the chip. He has started to implement a computerized tracking
system to increase quality control and workflow. He supervises a floor of 50
workers. Patrick has been working at TechBox for 2 years and has been widely
praised for numerous successes and improvements on the factory floor –
improvements with very positive financial results. He is young and motivated,
possessing a unique comprehension of production/engineering knowledge and
management sensibilities. He is greatly admired by his team and generally
received well by top senior management.
Sam Adelson has worked his way up from the mailroom. He does not embrace
change and is skeptical of young hot shots and young people in general. He also
does not embrace computerized system enhancements, which is odd for a man in
high tech. In a nutshell, he’s stodgy, grumpy, and difficult.
Lucinda Bergen is the only female executive at TechBox. She is generally
compassionate, understanding, and easy going, but is quick to defend her position
within the company and over assert herself when she feels confronted. She is
very comfortable with young, talented people and has instituted many
technological systems for workflow improvement within her own department.
Morgan Baines is the class clown and jokester of the company. He speaks
without thinking – supports, attacks, and withdraws without rhyme or reason.
Everyone always has the impression that he’s on their side; the kind of guy who
agrees with the last person who spoke. He’s been around very many years,
successfully overseeing product distribution – between wisecracks.
Scene Set-up: A meeting is held with key stakeholders of Patrick’s project to
discuss the status of it in terms of time and budget.
Scene Location: TechBox conference room
The Meeting - Summary: Stakeholders in the project note their concern with the
project going over budget and missing deadlines. Patrick, the project manager,
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defends himself and assures them that everything will work out because the
longest phase of the project is complete. He cites his past track record and says
the budget may go over just a little but it will be ok. The other team members say
that going over budget is not an option. He concedes and says he will take a look
at exactly how he can improve the progress of the project. They agree to meet
again in a week for a status check.
One Week Later - Patrick assures the group that they are now firmly under
budget and plan to be done on time. Lucinda mentions that Frank, one of
Patrick’s employees, said he thought the project was going to be late. Patrick
defends himself by saying that Frank’s role would not allow him to be privy to all
the information that Patrick knows and that he has this job for a reason – his talent
and prior track record. Sam suggests supporting Patrick with an additional staff
member. Patrick doesn’t think that would be necessary. Instead he suggests a
daily email to the group updating the project in terms of budget and deadlines.
They compromise by having the “1st deputy” be responsible for sending those
daily emails and keeping track of all the relevant numbers.
Afterthoughts – Summary: Patrick doesn’t think the meeting went very well. He
says he didn’t feel listened to and was upset that the group was more persuaded
by people indirectly involved in the project than by him. He felt he did ok and
tried to work with them on an individual basis. In the second meeting, he said if
he hadn’t stood his ground they would have “squished” him.
Dossier: The specific artifacts included in the DVD are:
1. Bennett’s Progress Report 5/6/02
2. Bennett’s Progress Report 5/31/02
3. Voice message from Frank Jambey to Lucinda Bergen
IV. Discussion Questions:
The References and related Discussion Questions may be found in PowerPoint slides 9-1
to 9-10.
Learning Objective #1: To assess students’ understanding of the sources of conflict and
the conflict process.
1. What sources of conflict were present in this scenario? Refer to PPT 9-3 to
construct your answer.
Many sources of conflict come into to play here. Ambiguous rules may have
been a source of conflict because Patrick didn’t seem to think that going over
budget a little was going to be a big problem. He found out that that would be
completely unacceptable which caused him to reevaluate his costs. Related to
the budget – scarce resources may also be a factor contributing to this
conflict. The other project members continually stress the need for the project
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to be on time and under budget. Communications are also contributing to
this conflict because people were not actively listening to each other. Also,
other communication channels (e.g., Frank) had an impact on the discussion
and caused frustration for Patrick.
2. On PPT 9-4, The Conflict Process, overt behaviors are depicted as indicators
of manifest conflict. What overt behaviors did you identify during this
scenario?
Lucinda repeatedly rolled her eyes and displayed negative affect towards
Patrick. She was also very impatient and insulted Patrick by saying that
interrupting him would get him off track. Patrick went on the defensive almost
immediately. Adelson maintained composure but insinuated a lack of
confidence in Patrick.

1. Patrick’s strategy should be to:
A. Emphasize progress
B. Defend himself
C. Impress superiors
Patrick should emphasize his progress in terms that the rest of the group
will understand and be persuaded by. Defending himself based on his
reputation will only go so far to influencing the group on this particular
issue. Emphasizing his progress will impress his superiors. In actuality,
Patrick defended himself based on his past reputation.

2. What does Sam Adelson insinuate about Patrick [when he calls him a
hot- shot]?
A. He’s arrogant
B. He’s incompetent
C. He’s inexperienced
Adelson insinuates that Patrick is inexperienced, though apparently
competent. The comment falls short of actually signifying confidence in
Patrick.

3. How was this [first] meeting?
A. A success
B. A failure
C. A good start
Patrick thinks it was a failure because he did not feel supported or listened
to.
Learning Objective #2: To analyze and evaluate different conflict management styles.
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1. Various conflict management styles are depicted on PPT 9-7. For each of the
participants in the scenario, describe which style(s) they used and cite examples to
support your answer.
Lucinda – Competing – she doesn’t seem to want to listen to Patrick’s position or
reasoning and puts roadblocks up to any suggestion that is not her own.
Sam – Compromises – he tries to give Patrick more support which is initially
rejected but then reinforces Patrick’s daily email idea with a person to perform
that function
Patrick – attempts Competing in that he rejects any suggestions for changing the
current situation. He eventually attempts to compromise with the daily email
idea. In the end he seems to accommodate to the rest of the group in accepting
additional help.
Morgan – Avoidance – he really stays out of any substantive discussion on this
project.

4. How should Patrick respond [when Lucinda says “Frank says you will
need an additional 3 weeks’]?
A. Defame Frank
B. Provide facts
C. Admit fault
Patrick indirectly defames Frank by saying he is in a lower-level position for a
reason. A more persuasive technique would have been to provide facts to refute
Frank’s claim. If Frank was correct, than Patrick should have admitted fault.
Learning Objective #3: To identify ways to ensure functional, rather than dysfunctional,
conflict occurs.
1. Review the Structural Approaches to Conflict Management (PPT 9-9). Several
approaches to minimizing dysfunctional conflict are provided. Identify at least
two specific actions taken by members of the group to minimize dysfunctional
conflict.
Clarify rules and procedures – Patrick suggests a daily email to keep the group
posted on the project. This will minimize conflict by continually monitoring the
situation so there are no surprises.
Increase resources – Sam offered to provide Patrick with a #2 deputy to assist
him in managing the project.
2. Choose two approaches (on PPT 9-9) and provide specific examples of what
could have been done in this scenario to reduce dysfunctional conflict.
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The superordinate goals that all members share should have been discussed up
front. This guides the discussion and ensures that information provided is
maximally influential to other group members.
Improve communication and understanding – group members should have
tried to take the others’ perspectives. Many behaviors indicated that people were
not actively listening and had pre-determined ideas on the best course of action
and were not willing to change.

5. Confidence is low. Patrick should:
A. Fight back
B. Accept help
C. Clarify position
It’s unclear why Patrick is resistant to accept help other than to preserve
his ego. Generally resources are difficult to acquire and he is being
offered another staff person to help him. Ultimately he does accept the
help but at first he refuses.

6. How should Patrick respond?
A. Refuse offer
B. Change approach
C. Accept offer
Once it is established that he will maintain control over the project, he agrees
to the offer.
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